


And I close my eyes (to the orange skies)

by VolunteerFieryDantooinian



Category: All the Wrong Questions
Genre: ATWQ, Angst, Canon-Compliant, Could be slash so I'm tagging it that way, Crying, Drowning, Ellington cries too, Emotions, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Lemony Snicket's entire life could be categorized as a near-death experience, Lemony cries, Near-death Experiences, Post-WITNDFAON, Sadness, The Clusterous Forest, Very Fun, a feels trip, drowning tw, tw:drowning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 10:36:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6113887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VolunteerFieryDantooinian/pseuds/VolunteerFieryDantooinian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She couldn't bring herself to let him die.<br/>(Alternatively titled "Ellington and Lemony cry from built up emotions brought on by almost drowning")</p>
            </blockquote>





	And I close my eyes (to the orange skies)

Being an average-at-best swimmer didn't mix well with trying to save someone from drowning.

Ellington fought against the crashing, tumoltuous water, paddling her way towards the mostly-submerged, unconscious teenager. The pounding torrent of rain certainly wasn't helping. She prayed that she'd get there before it was too late. She didn't like to think about that.

At first, he was clinging to a piece of debris. Then he had been knocked off, pummeled by the waves, and she knew she didn't have much time before he disappeared again. Ellington tore through the water and reached where he was collapsed, moments away from going under. She wrapped her arms around his middle and pushed off towards shore.

She stumbled out of the water and heaved Lemony onto semi-dry land, lying him on his back. Quickly, she hovered her hand above his mouth and nose, and pressed her ear to his chest.

"Shit."

There was nothing. Ellington knew she had very little time. She locked her hands together and began the motions of CPR. 1,2,3,4,5, she thought, and with a moments hesitation, she pinched his nostrils shut and breathed out as much oxygen as she could. She repeated this multiple times, and it failed multiple times.

Suddenly, Lemony's eyes shot open, and Ellington briskly rolled him onto his side. He began coughing, water coming up in painful retches. She'd always been dreadful at comforting people, and was lost as to what she should do for a second. She gently pressed her hand to his back, rubbing firm but soothing circles as her not-friend vomited water onto the sand.

"You need to be more careful." Those were the only words that made sense to her, and she winced at the bitterness of them.

"You came back." She winced at Lemony's voice, which was as rough and dry as sandpaper. The words hurt, pulling at her conscience. She couldn't believe it either. He had killed her father, her father was gone forever, and he'd broken his promise. In a way, he hadn't. He had known, and hadn't told her, but he was likely so afraid of hurting her he couldn't bring himself to do it. And now he'd almost died. She couldn't let him drown.

She was crying now, hot tears dripping down her cheeks, and Lemony looked like he wanted to cry too. Soon enough, he was.

"Why did you save me? I should be dead, you should hate me!" He protested, and against every ounce of logic in Ellington's body, she wrapped her arms around him.

"I couldn't hate you. That's the problem." Her eyes filled with intense anger, and something else, and she gritted her teeth. Every emotion she had was rising in her, anger and guilt and so much pain. Lemony tensed in her embrace and staggered to his feet, only making it a few yards away before collapsing to his knees, coughing, one hand pressed to his stomach.

Instinctively, she ran to his side, and curled her hand over his. 

"Why am I not dead?! I should be dead!" He cried, and broke down into a fit of shoulder-wracking sobs. Gently, she rubbed his back, trying to pretend she wasn't crying too. 

"I saved you, because.. I knew that wasn't you. I knew you were trying to protect us, Mr. Snicket." Her voice was hollow.

His strength seemed to have faded completely, slumping against her.

"let's get out of here."

**Author's Note:**

> Title from A Great Big World's "Kaleidoscope"  
> Let me know if you want me to write a reversed scenario!! I love you atwq fandom I'm sorry for the feels


End file.
